Madurai:
Members of ‘We the Leaders’ activist group have taken up a cleaning drive along the Periyar irrigation canal in Melur to create awareness among the public about keeping water bodies clean.More than 30 members of the volunteer group took part in cleaning the canal near Nondikovilpatti using machinery and manual labour.
The group appealed to residents, volunteers and farmers to join the initiative.
Melur in Madurai district is part of the Mullaiperiyar single-crop irrigation region.
Water released from the dam reaches the region through the Kallandhiri main irrigation canal and its branch canals extending up to Melur and Sivaganga, providing irrigation to around 86,000 acres besides meeting drinking water requirements.
The 12th division main irrigation canal, running from Nondikovilpatti in Melur towards Vannampaaraiyapatti and Kottakudi, has reportedly turned into a dumping ground for sewage and garbage due to inadequate maintenance.
Farmers, residents and livestock using the canal water could face health risks if irrigation water is released through the polluted canal, residents said.
